March 5, 2006
FULLERTON, Calif. - The Boilermaker softball team put up a valiant fight, but the Cal State Fullerton Titans sent Purdue home to West Lafayette with a 6-2 loss on Sunday to wrap up the team's play at the Worth Invitational.
The Titans tallied a single run on a Kiki Munoz double to left center. The hit scored Jenna Wheeler, who drew a one-out walk.
The Boilermakers put two runners on in the third as freshman Candace Curtis (Danville, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice and was joined on base by senior Staci Falzon (Carlsbad, Calif.), who drew a two-out walk. A caught foul ball left both stranded.
Amanda Kamekona doubled to right center to start the Titans' half of the third, prompting a Purdue pitching change. Senior Becky Stone (Belleville, Ill.) moved from first base into the pitching circle for her second career appearance. Kamekona advanced to third on a sacrifice, before scoring on a double up the left line by Ashley Van Boxmeer. Munoz added three more runs for CSF with a bases-clearing triple, scoring Candice Baker and Jenna Wheeler, who were hit by pitches, and Van Boxmeer. A single through the left side by Katie Gollhardt plated Munoz to make it 6-0. Junior Brooke Baker (Schererville, Ind.) entered the game to pitch for the Boilermakers and got the next two batters to fly out to end the inning.
Junior Erika Peterson (Irvine, Calif.) snapped CSF's bid for a no-hitter in the fifth inning with a one-out single to right. The Boilermakers were unable to convert on the hit, however, as a strikeout and ground out left Peterson stranded at first.
The Boilermakers loaded the bases to open the sixth inning as Falzon singled to left and sophomore Ashley Hall (Noblesville, Ind.) and senior Tricia Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) were hit by pitches. Junior DaQueta Johnson (Ontario, Calif.) put the Boilermakers on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly to left, driving in Falzon. Stone then laid down a squeeze bunt, pushing Hall across the plate and moving Lilley to third. A caught foul ball ended the Purdue rally.
Curtis drew a one-out walk in the seventh inning, but a strikeout and caught foul ball ended Purdue's bid to extend the game.
Purdue scored two runs on two hits, while Fullerton posted six runs on seven hits.
Marissa Marzan (2-2) earned the complete game victory for the Titans, while senior Diana LaRiva (Tustin, Calif.) was saddled with the loss for Purdue, despite striking out one in two innings of work.
The Boilermakers return to action on Thursday when they take on UMass at the USF/Adidas Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.